Transformerless audio output system



Apri? M9 i951 H. F. oLsoN 2548,235

TRANSFORMERLESS AUDIO OUTPUT SYSTEM I med march 1s, 1947 4 sheets-sheet 1 .wir

INVENTOR /veey F zsa/v.

ATTORNEY April? 0.,951 H. F. oLsoN TRANSFORMRLESS AUDlO OUTPUT SYSTEM a Sneets-Sheet 2 Filed March 13, 1947 NvENToR Q/aey F. 0mm/v.

Mfg/bww ATTORNEY prl W9 395i H. F. @@SQN 2,54%235 TRANsFoRMERLEss AUDIO OUTPUT SYSTEM d Sheets-Shea?, 3

Filed marsh 13, 1947 Jae/Ng INVENTOR QPEY F.' Lso/v.

ATTORNEY TRANSFORMERLESS AUDIOv OUTPUT SYSTEM Filed aaron 13, 1947 4 sheessheet 4 INVENTOR /I/rwm coupling transformer.

Patented pr. 1G, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT fol-FICE TRANSFORMERLESS AUDIO OUTPUT SYSTEM Harry F'. Olson, Princeton, N. J., assigner to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Dela- Applicationll/Iarch 13, 1947, Serial No. 734,49

3` Claims. l

My present invention relates generally to audio frequency amplifier systems, and more particularly to an improved audio amplier system in which the power ampliier tube is coupled directly to the voice coil of a dynamic loud-speaker without the use of a transformer.

In the conventional audio amplifier system employing a dynamic loud-speaker, a transformer is used to couple the relatively high impedance of the output tube to the relatively low impedance of the speaker voice coil. To obtain low distortion and good response at the low audio frequencies there is required a large and costly Furthermore, a considerable part of the power output is dissipated in the transformer. The coupling transformer can be eliminated if the plate impedance of the output tube is lowered, and the impedance of the voice Acoil is increased. It is quite feasible to wind a voice coil that can be coupled' to a vacuum tube having a low impedance. There are additional advantages to be secured by such an arrangement. The amplier system will operate at a low direct current voltage so that it is possible to eliminate the usual power supply transformer. The use of a low direct current voltage,. in turn'r reduces thecost of lter'condensers. In. brief there are advantages from the standpoints of cost, ldelity and. efciency. Y

It is, therefore, an important object of my present invention to provide a transfo'rmerless audio frequency output system in which an out.- put tube is coupled directly to the voice coil of dynamic loud-speaker without the' use of a transformer, the non-linear distortion, power' loss and frequency discrimination. introduced by the usual audio frequency output transformer being thereby eliminated.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a transformerless audio output circuit thereby to provide a reduction in cost due to elimination of the usual audio output transformer; the power supply transformer being eliminated as well, because the present` system operates at so low an impedance as to require a relatively low supply voltage and high current. Under these conditions, it is possibleV to obtain sufcient direct current voltage output by direct rectification of the alternating energizing Acurrent without stepping up to a high voltage, as

would be the case in a high impedance system'.

It is another important object of my present `invention to provide a transformerless audio output system wherein push-pull connections are employed 4in the output stage.

Another object of. the invention is to associate a phase inverter with the voice coil of a dynamic type of loud-speaker whereby push-pull connections can be made to the voice coil.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a single-ended audio frequency amplifier which directly drives the Voice coil of' a speaker, the latter employing mechanical counterbalance means for uni-directional force..

A more specific object of my invention is to provide an audio amplifier system Whose direct current energizing voltages are provided by selenium recti'ers employed to provide rectified alternating current voltage for the plates and grids of the tubes. of the system, and no' transformer being employed inthe power supply circuit. A. further object-vof. my invention is to provide an audio output stage wherein the voice coil of a dynamic speaker ris inserted in the common cathode circuits of push-pull connected tubes thereby to provide a novel transformerless drive circuit for the speaker.

More specic objects are to provide novel dynamic speaker constructions.

Still other features and. objects of my invention will. best be` understood by reference to the following descriptionr taken in connectionwith the drawings, inl which I. have indicated diagrammatically several circuit organizations whereby my invention may be carried into eifect.

ln the drawings:`

Fig. 1y shows a preferred circuit embodiment to secure the advantages of my transformerless audio output;

Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a loud-peaker which may be used in the. circuit of Fig. 1;, l

Fig. 3-showsa modifica-tion of a portion of the circuit of Fig; 11, vwherein, a single triode is` used for phase inversion prior tothe push-pull output stage; A

Fig. 4 is a furthervmodi-ncation of Fig. 3, showing a double triode employed for phase. inversion;

Fig. 5I illustrates another modification whereinV self-bias is used for the control grids of thepushpull output tubes; Y

Fig. 6 showsl a further modification whe-rein' the voice coil is inserted inthe cathodeA circuits of the push-pull tubes;

Fig. 'lis a schematic circuit-diagramv of asingleendedtransformerlessoutput system;

Fig. 8 is-a schematic cross-sectional view of the loud-speaker. employed inthe single-ended sys,- tem of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a top view of the speaker of Fie. 8;

Fig. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a modification of the speaker of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 1l is a top view of the speaker of Fig. 10.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters in the different iigures denote similar elements, there is shown in Fig. 1 an audio frequency signal amplifier system embodying various features of my invention. The audio signal input terminals I may be connected to any suitable source of audio frequency energy. For example, such a source can be the detector output terminals of a radio receiver, the electrical pickup of a phonograph, the microphone of a public address system, or any other known source. The audio frequency signals are preferably amplied by any suitable cascaded amplifier stages. I have shown amplier tube 2 as a screen grid tube, say of the 6J? type, feeding a 6J5 type triode amplifier tube 3. The control grid 4 of tube 2 is self-biased by virtue of the usual by-passed cathode bias resistor 5. The audio signals are applied to grid 4, and the ampliiied signal voltage across plate resistor 6 is applied to grid 'I Voi amplifier tube 3 through coupling condenser 8, volume control potentiometer 3 and condenser I0. The screen grid of tube 2 includes a direct current energizing volt-- age connection II to the power supply line I2. Plate resistor 6 is included in the energizing connection from line I2 to the plate I3.

The plate resistor I4 of amplier tube 3 is connected to energizing line I2, the control grid 1 being biased by lthe voltage drop across the usual by-passed cathode resistor. Audio signal voltage developed acrosslplate resistor I4 is appliedv through coupling condenser I5 to the control grid I of one triode section of a twin triode tube. rIhe latter is of the 6AS7 type, and comprises a lpair of triode electron sections. The cathodes I8 and I0 of the two sections are connected in common and grounded. The plate 28, under control of grid I6, is connected by lead 2i to lead 22 at one end of the voice coil 23 of a ldynamic loud-speaker. The opposite end of voice coil 23 is provided with a lead 24 which is connected by lead 25 to plate 2B ofthe second triode section of tube I'I. The center lead 2'1 of voice coil 23 is connected by lead 28 tothe power supply line I2 whereby plates 2D and 23 have positive voltage applied thereto.

The control grid`29, located between cathode I 9 and plate 26, is coupled by condenser 30- to lead 22 of the voice coil. The tube Il for this circuit application had an amplification factor of 2.2. Under these conditions appropriate voltages are obtained by connecting the grid to the end of the voice coil. If the amplification factor V'of the tube were higher another tap would have 4to be provided in order to obtain the appropriate voltage on grid 29, that is the same as grid i6. Negative bias for both control grids I6 and 29 is provided by connecting each of them through respective resistors 3l and 32 and common lead 33 to a suitable point of negative direct current voltage. It will now be seen that the voice coil 23 is inserted directly in the'commcn plate circuit of both triode sections of tube Il, the voice coil acting as a push-pull output load employ output tubes whose plate impedances' are sufficiently low, of the order of 300 ohms, to match the low impedance of coil 23. The usual output transformer is thereby eliminated from between the output tube and the voice coil.

Since the amplier system will operate at a low direct current voltage the usual power supply transformer is eliminated. In turn, there is secured reduced cost of filter condensers. As' an additional feature of my invention, selenium rectiiiers 34, 34 are employed to supply the high voltage direct current. The pair of rectiers 34 and 34 are connected in parallel, with the common negative terminal connected to the high potential conductor 35 of the alternating current power line 36. It is assumed that a volt alternating current source is employed. The grounded conductor 3T returns through ground to the cathode circuits of all of tubes 2, 3 and Il. The common positive terminal of rectiers 34 and 34 is connected to supply line I2.

Condensers 38 are provided at suitable points of energizing line I2 to cooperate with series resistors 39, 39 to provide filtering of the rectified alternating current voltage. rA separate selenium rectifier 40 is connected across conductors 35 and 3l to provide rectified voltage for the loud-speaker field coil 4I, and to supply negative bias for the bias lead 33. The iield coil 4I is connected in circuit with the rectifier 40 between the negative terminal thereof and ground. Condenser 42 by-passes the terminal 43 of field coil 4I to ground, while the opposite terminal 45 is grounded. The negative terminal 43 is connected by lead 4B to lead 33. Resistors 41 and condenser 48 provide filtering of the grid bias voltage prior to application to grids I6 and 23.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a schematic cross-sectional diagram of the loud-speaker driven by the output tube Il. It will be observed that the construction of the dynamic loud-speaker is entirely conventional in nature, except for the fact that the iield leads 43 and 45 of the field coil 4I are connected respectively to the negative terminal of selenium rectifier 40 and ground. Further, the construction of the loud-speaker differs from the usual practice of lthe prior art in that the Voice coil 23 has the midlead 2l and its opposite end leads 22 and 24 connected as shown in Fig. l. lt is not believed necessary to discuss the constructional terms of the loud-speaker, other than by reference to the schematic drawing of Fig. 2.

It is quite feasible to Wind the voice coil 23 so that its impedance Will be sufficiently high to match the plate impedance of the low mu triodes of tube I'I. For example, the plate impedance of each triode element of tube Il is about 280 ohms. The voice coil 23 is wound so as to have an impedance of about 600-760 ohms, preferably the higher value. The voice coil should not be too heavy for good response in the high audio frequency range, and, for example, the mass ,of the coil can be about 3.5 grams. The flux density in the air gap can be about 10,000 gausses. The operation of the output stage is a type of class A-B. With a steady current of 50 milliamperes, the power input to the voice coil 23 with 10% distortion is about 2 watts, while with 75 milliamperes for tube Il. The coil 23 is constructed to have 70 the power Output would be about 4 watts. Coman impedance matching the relatively low plate impedance of tube I'I. While a twin triode 6AS7 tube isshownvused as vthe output tube I1, it is 'to be clearly understood that separate triode paring the power output of the present system with that of the conventional transformer arrangement, 4 watts 'in the present system will produce as much sound output as 8 watts in the tubes mayV be utilized. The important" thing is t0 75 conventional transformer vcoupled speaker.

andere function as a phase inversion stage'. rIhis is ac'- complished by applying thel plate voltage at lead 22 to the grid 29 for a phase reversal. Hence; the output circuit of tuberi i is connected pushpull fashion. As a result therevis no net unbalanced force in the voice coil 23, if the currents in the two sections of the voice coil are exactly the same. It is pointed out that an unbalanced current of milliamperescould be tolerated, because' it would not be disturbing since the deflection of the loud-speaker would be only 1/20 of an inch.

Actual comparison tests between the present transformerless loud-speaker systemand' the conventional radiophonograph combination of a reliablertype using a transformer coupling to the voice coil, reveals that the efficiency of the transformerless systemv was about 2 decibels (db.)" higher. Furthermore, there is a marked improvement in the low audio frequency range, and' it is pointed out that this is a marked contrast to the audio amplier system of conventional radio receivers which suiier from a lack of clean output in the low audio frequency range. l

There is not only a reductionrin cost by the elimination of the output transformer, but the elimination of the power supply transformer additionally provides economy of construction. Since the system is of a low impedance it means that the direct current supply voltage will be relatively low and the current relatively high. Under these conditions it is best to obtain suilicient output by direct rectication of the 110' volts alternating current supply without stepping up to a l high voltage as would be the case in a high irnto the lower voltage rating forV the elejctrolytic condensers. The selenium rectifiers which are employed are particularly suited fora low voltage.

system. However, it is to'beclearly understood that the selenium rectifier Inay be replacedA by rectier tubes if desired; Y

My invention is not limi-ted to the utilization of one of the triodes of output'v t? as' the phase inversion tube, although the latter i's a feature of the invention. In Figs. Sfand 4 I have shown modifications of the output stage and the pree ceding Yampliiier stage Ato show other arrange# ments for securing phase inversion so as to operate the tube Il as a push-pull stage'. In Fig. 3 the triodes of tube i1' are driven in push-pull fashion by virtue of the connection of amplifier tube 3 as a phase inversion tube.- It will be understood that the connections from the circuit shown in Fig. 3 to the remaining circuit elements of Fig. 1 are exactly the same as in the case of the latter. Hence, the description of Fig. 3 is restricted to those elements which are not shown in Fig. 1.

The tube 3 has its cathodev 59 connected to ground through a pair of resistors 5| and 53 which are arranged in series. The control grid -'!A is con-` nected to the junction vof resistors 5l andrbi by the grid, leak resistor 53. The junction point 54 is, connected by lead and coupling condenser I5 to the control grid29 of the triode section |9, 29, 2B of tube il. As in the case of Fig. 1, the

control grid i6 of the triode section I8, i3, 2B is in the case of Fig. 3j the'. push-puit operationy of" 'the' triodes' of tube isv provided by connecting' tube 3' to function as a" phase inversion stage-,for the triode section I9, 29, 216. It will be recognized4 that at the plate of tube 3 and at the junctionpoint 54 the" alternating voltagesk are' in phase op# position, which permit thev grids I6 and 29to be' driven push-pull. l y

In Fig. 4 the triode's o'f tube are driven in push-'pull manner in a different fashion from' Fig. 3'. Here, an auxiliary triode is' utilized as' the phase inversion device.v The tube preceding tube I'T is designated by the numeral 60, and is shown as embodying two triode sections. One of these triode sections 50', 3" functions in the same manner as the amplifier tube 3 of Fig. 1. *Tlfiesec-A ond triode section of tube 50 consists of the cathode 6|, control grid 62 and anode 63. The oathodes 50"v and4 6| are connected in' common to ground by a by-passed gridb'ias' resistor 64, the grid 62 being returned to the grounded end of bias resistor 34.. The controlv grid l' has Vaudio voltage applied to it through the condenser Il), while the control grid 62 has` alternating voltage applied to it from a tap 65 on the upper section of the tapped resistor 56. The condenser 66 couples" tap 65 to grid 62.. The control grid 2'9, which is connected to plate 63 through condenser l5', is driven in push-pull relation to grid I6. Otherwise the circuit functions in a manner similar to thatshown in Figs. 1 and 3.

It is not, of course, essential that the control grids of the output tube be biased negatively by the separate selenium rectier 40 shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 5 I have shown a modicati'on of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1., wherein the grid 29 secures its negative bias by virtue of the voltage drop across the biasing resistor 10 arranged in the common cathode circuit of the two triodes of tube Il. Biasing resistor l0 is bypassed by condenser and the gridZS is returned to the grounded end of bias resistor 10 by the grid resistor 3|. The loud-speaker field coil lil is arranged between energizing lead 23 and. the A com-mon positive terminal of thev selenium rectiers 34 and34. In other words, in Fig'. 5 I. have eliminated the auxiliary selenium rectier d and its associated supply circuit connections, and have inserted the loud-speaker eld coil in the main supplymcircuit. Otherwise the circuit arrangement of Fig. 5 is similar to that shown in Fig. 1,' it being pointed out thatone of the triodes I1 is used as a phase inversion device.

In. Fig. 6 I have shown a further modification,

' wherein the loud-speaker voice coil is placed inY the common cathode circuits of the push-pull output tubes. Here, again, a push-pull connection is used so that the large steady forces in the voice coil are balanced out. The circuit of Fig. 6 uses the arrangement of Fig. 4 to' prof vide phase inversion to feed the output tubes and 3| in push-pull. Thus, the amplifier 82 has associated with Yit the phase inversion tube' 83 whose control grid 84 is connected through condenser 85 to a tap on the plate'resistor 83. The plate resistors 36 and 81 of tubes82 and B3 have the junction thereof connected by lead 88 to the positive terminal of the direct current supply Y and 8|.

" The @fremdes e4 and es' of tutes' su and a1 through a half section of the voice coil. Thus, the junction of the voice coil sections 90 and 91 is grounded, and is, also, connected through respective grid resistors to the control grids 92 and 93. It can be shown that as far as the load is concerned the negative feedback of each of tubes 80 and 8| causes each respective tube to act as a cathode follower. Assuming that each of triodes 80 and 8| has a plate resistance of 8000 ohms and an amplification factor of 20, the load resistance which matches the tube resistance in the cathode circuit will be 380 ohms. It is quite feasible to Wind a voice coil to match thisimpedance. It will, therefore, be appreciated that the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 provides a transformerless cathode follower output system.

My invention is not restiricted to the insertion of the loud-speaker voice coil in the plate circuit of a pair of push-pull connected output tubes. A single-ended output stage may be employed, as shown schematically in the circuit'arrangement of Fig. 7. In this circuit arrangement the audio input signals are applied Vto an amplier tube connected in suitable manner to amplify audio signals. The amplified audio signals are applied to the output amplifier tube |0| by connecting the control grid |02 through coupling condenser |03 to the plate of tube |00. The cathode |04 of tube i0| is connected to ground through a suitably by-passed bias resistor |05. The plate |00 is connected through the loud-speaker voice coil |01 and lead |08 and lter resistor |09 to the positive terminal of selenium rectier I0. A single rectier is employed in this case, the condenser by-passing alternating components to ground. The plate of tube |00 is positively energized from lead |08, and includes Suitable filter elements.

The permanent magnet of the loud-speaker is schematically designated by numeral ||2, and I have shown a restoring spring ||3 arranged to overcome the steady force in the Voice coil |01. It is to be clearly understood that the representations of the voice coil |01 and the cone |14 is purely schematic. Since the output stage is single-ended, there is a large unbalanced force due to the steady current flowing through the voice coil |01. It is necessary to use a deformed spring ||3 to overcome the steady force in the voice coil. Of course, the voice coil |01 is constructed so as to match the low plate impedance of output tube |0|.

In Figs. 8 and 10 I have shown schematic cross-sectional views of respectively dilerent loud-speaker arrangements employing the spring to overcome the steady force due to the steady current in the voice coil. Referring to the speaker construction of Fig. 8, of which Fig. 9 shows a plan view looking into the cone H4, it will he seenthat the voice coil |01, whose opposite ends are connected to leads |08 and |06', is centered about the upper end of the permanent magnet of pole piece H2. The coil spring ||3 has its-upper end secured to the cross arm |20, and there projects from the cross arm |20 a stop |2| in whoseV interior the coil spring is located. By giving a predetermined deformation or stretch to the Y deform the compliant portions |23.

spring ||3 will produce a large deflection and For this reason, and to obviate this undesirable condition, the stop |2| is provided.

The cross-sectional view of Fig. 10 shows the voice coil |01 centered in the air gap of the pole piece ||2. The cone ||4 in this case utilizes a flat spring |30 to provide the normal neutrallzation of the steady force 0f the voice coil |01. The nat spring has one end thereof fixed, while its free end is connected by a suspension wire |40 to the center of cone |I4. The flat spring |30 is provided with a stop |50, the latter being provided by a strip of metal having one end fixed while its free end overlaps the free end of at spring |30. Fig. 11 shows a plan view of the speaker of Fig. 10 looking into the cone H4. The modification shown in Figs. 10, 11 functions in the manner similar to the arrangement of Figs. 8, 9.

While I have indicated and described several systems for carrying my invention into effect, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that my invention is by no means limited to the particular organizations shown and described, but that many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a signal amplifying and transducing system for supplying sound signals corresponding to electrical signals: electron-discharge-tube amplication means including a final amplification stage having anode, cathode and control electrodes an input circuit, including a ground connection, coupling said control electrode to a source of electrical signals to be amplied and converted to sound signals; electro-acoustic transducing means connected at low D.C. potentialV to said final amplification stage for converting electrical signals, amplied by said iinal stage, into sound signals; said transducing means Vincluding movably positioned windings connected to carry signal currents and move in response to the variations in these signal currents; said windings being directly connected in series between said cathode and ground connection in degenerative relation in the nal amplication stage as its output load to eliminate signal distortion and losses due to transformer couplings.

2. In an electro-acoustic transducer apparatus for transforming varying electrical signals to corresponding sound vibrations: magnetic iield structure for generating a substantially constant magnetic held; windings for carrying the electrical signals and generating magnetic flux variation corresponding to the signal vibrations; supporting means holding said windings in a vibratable equilibrium position in said magnetic field for causing said generated flux variations to exert correspondingly varying forces tending to vibrate the windings with respect to said equilibrium position; acoustic means connected to said windings for delivering sound vibrations corresponding to the vibrations of the windings; said supporting means including vibratable bias structure connected to the windings for urging them toward an idle rest position displaced from the equilibrium position when the windings are idle; said bias structure exerting a force on the Windings suiicient to approximately balance opposing forces, generated when the windings carry direct current, for assuring that the windings are in the equilibrium position when the apparatus is in use and the windings are carrying electrical signals superimposed on a direct current.

3. In an electro-acoustic transducer apparatus for connection to an electron-discharge electri-A able equilibrium position in said magnetic field for vibration in response to forces developed by said flux variations; said supporting means including bias structure connected to said windings and biasing them toward an idle rest position displaced rom the equilibrium position for supporting the windings in equilibrium position when the windings are carrying the electron discharge current and are subjected to displacing forces bea cause of the flux generated by the D. C. compo-A nent of the electron discharge current.

` HARRY F. OLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,784,486 Farrand Dec. 9, 1930 1,873,360 Swallow Aug. 23, 1932 1,925,659 Giles Sept. 5, 1933 V1,937,602 Stewart Dec. 5, 1933 2,383,846 Crawley Aug. 28, 1945 OTHER REFERENCES R. C. A. Receiving Tube Manual, 1937 edition, pps. 184 and 185.

R. C. A. Victor Service Data, vol. II, 1938-1942, page 98-C TBK-5, TT5. 

